"He came on wanting to make an impression and he certainly did that. His aggression got the better of him."

After the game, Dixon and Lineker revealed they weren't surprised that Gerrard came out after the game and said sorry for his actions, with the recently retired England captain the kind of character that would face up to his mistakes.

"We said he may come out and apologise. In the pictures just after he knew he’d done something wrong."

With Gerrard having failed to start the two games since he returned from his hamstring injury, and now set to miss three matches due to suspension because of the red, the available matches for the 35-year-old to feature for his boyhood club before he switches to MLS are considerably fewer.

There are just eight games left in the league for Liverpool, and a FA Cup semi-final, and potentially final, for Gerrard to consider. With the Reds skipper missing three of those games, he has barely half a dozen opportunities to feature, and just two more competitive games at Anfield.

Che Thomas

Che is an Englishman abroad unable to cut the apron strings tying him to the crazy world of English football. As a writer and freelance journalist, he has covered matches and cultural events from across the globe all with the intention to inform, entertain and provoke debate. Just as smitten with music, film, and photography, though fully aware of the fact that nothing takes the place of that Saturday afternoon excitement down at N17 (even when it's actually on a Sunday!)